Ready for Match Point

So. Much. Fun.

January is filled with a diverse array of sporting events. American football (NFL) playoffs, hockey and basketball games, college sports, skiing, figure skating championships, curling, and more. Whatever your passion, there’s likely an event for you.

For me, it’s tennis. Watching or playing, I’m all in. January welcomes the year’s first major tournament – the Australian Open – one of four comprising the coveted Tennis Grand Slam. This tournament often sets the tone for the season and can inspire player activity and incite fan passions.

There’s a lot on the line, too. Only the Australian Open victors have a chance at earning the year’s Grand Slam – or a Golden Grand Slam in 2024 by also winning an Olympic Gold Medal.

The same is true for leaders: January sets the tone for the rest of the year. And, both individual and business success are on the line. New goals mean a fresh start, whether building on or correcting past performance. Sports – like tennis – often illuminate leadership and strategy lessons that add value to the shop floor and boardroom.

Three tips to ensure you and your team are ready for match point:

• Master the fundamentals. No matter what business you are in, fundamentals are the two or three things you continually monitor, adjust, and improve to enhance performance. They have the greatest potential for impact. Focus on these and set the tone for the year.
• Cultivate the mindset of a champion. Every business has competitors whose decisions and actions impact results. And no one gets it right every time. Mindset determines how leaders navigate good and bad times. With relentless focus on the outcome and belief in their teams, effective leaders sustain high performance by shaping the collective mindset. They hold both themselves and the team accountable for results.
• Lock in your team. High performance teams are the holy grail of teaming. Remarkably rare, high performance teams drive initiatives, tackle challenges, and achieve results more effectively and with less direct oversight than any other kind of team – even the good ones. Skilled leaders set the stage for high performance teams to flourish in their organizations. In the words of 2023’s Tennis Team USA: leaders ensure that their teams are locked-in.

On and off the court, the executives I advise know that mastering fundamentals, shaping the collective mindset, and locking in their teams accelerate progress. They take deliberate action to foster the environment – and set the tone – that drives sustained success.

What is the one action you will take right now to ensure your team is ready for match point?

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?2024 Tara J Rethore.?All rights reserved.?Permission granted to excerpt or reprint with attribution.